Astronaut

NHRA Webisode 8

Whether it's sunny or cloudy, hot, humid or rainy - the weather is key to how it is going to run down the track.

Mike Green:
One of the most important things when we prepare the US Army Top Fuel Dragster for Tony to drive down the quarter mile - is the weather conditions.

Whether it's sunny or cloudy, hot, humid or rainy - the weather is key to how it is going to run down the track. And it's really critical that we use the technology and the knowledge we have to prepare the car for the conditions that we run on the racetrack.

Tony Schumacher:
The conditions not only affect the car, but a lot of time affect the way I drive the car. I have to be more prepared for a slippery surface, I may have to back of the throttle, we call it peddling the car - and get back on the throttle to win some of these races.

Mike Green:
If the weather is too terrible, our races get canceled and we try again the next day - in the US ARMY the soldiers we represent don't have that luxury. Things have to get done quickly and correctly for any mission to succeed. Rain or shine.

There are many things on the US Army Top Fuel Dragster that we adjust due to the weather conditions. The engine, the clutch, the tires are all things we adjust to different weather conditions.

If it's cool and cloudy, we can run our best because the track surface is cool - we can put the maximum amount of power in the engine and we can run our quickest and fastest lap times.

When it's hot and sunny, the track is slicker and we have to make adjustments to go as quick as we can on a slick track...

Tony Schumacher:
But if there's one thing that can complicate a race it's the weather conditions. Unfortunately, a soldier goes out in any condition, and that's why the Army trains the soldiers and gives them the right equipment and prepares them to do each job in any given circumstance.